


About the Shadow World

by matslightwood (unbrokengibberish)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 22:15:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7988050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unbrokengibberish/pseuds/matslightwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of all my drabbles/ficlets from my Tumblr (@matslightwood) posted here for organizational purposes. Contains Magnus x Alec, Lydia x Izzy, Lydia, Alec fics, etc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kiss My Broken Heart

The hall was empty now, every one running off after Magnus had informed Alec (as the head of the Institute) that Valentine was close and that they needed to act now. Every one else had seen that as what it was: Valentine was the number one priority at the moment, a wedding could wait for later. 

But Alec had seen what was really happening. Magnus giving Alec an out, a way to stop the wedding without having to explain why he was stopping the wedding. Alec’s heart was beating rapidly, like he’d just run a marathon. His skin tingled. Magnus’s words from the night before played through his mind. 

He knew they needed to leave. They needed to go to the strategy room so that Magnus could fill everyone in on what was happening, before they all ran off to battle. But he couldn’t help himself. 

“Magnus,” he called out as Magnus made his way to the exit. Magnus froze, hearing something in Alec’s voice probably, and slowly turned around. 

Alec suddenly found himself standing directly in front of the other man, looking down on him, breathing the same air. 

“Thank you,” he said, before leaning down to touch his lips to Magnus’s. It was chaste, meant to be a thing of gratitude for Magnus giving Alec an out, but something sparked inside Alec. 

Magnus pulled away first. He looked at Alec with heavily lidded eyes and Alec felt his own droop, as he looked first at Magnus’s eyes and then down to his mouth. He couldn’t stop himself when he leaned back in. Magnus looked like he was about to say something, but Alec sealed his mouth over Magnus’s, parting his lips to deepen the kiss. His hands found purchase on Magnus’s hips and he held tight. Magnus’s hands came up to grab at Alec’s jacket, pulling him in even closer. 

They lost themselves in the kiss. Alec wasn’t sure if seconds or minutes or hours had passed, when they finally pulled away. Alec grinned down at Magnus unable to keep the emotion off his face. 

“We should probably get to the others,” Alec said softly, resting his forehead against Magnus’s for a moment, before pulling away. He grabbed Magnus’s hand, while they were still alone, dragging him to the entrance of the chapel. 

“Alexander,” Magnus said, softly, dazed. Alec turned around, a questioning look on his face. “Thank you,” Magnus said, before placing a light kiss against Alec’s mouth and leading them out the door.


	2. Make Me Up

Alec doesn’t even know how he got here. That’s a lie. He walked here, blurted out a string of words, Magnus’s eyes had kind of bugged out, and now there he was. 

He was sitting at Magnus’s vanity and his boyfriend (the label was new but it’s definitely one that he likes) was painting his face with makeup. 

He didn’t even know this was something he wanted, hadn’t really given it much thought ever, but lately, lately he’s been catching himself staring at Magnus’s eyeshadow, Izzy’s bright lipstick, even Clary’s eyelashes. There’s something…something nice about it. Something that he would like to experience. He didn’t think it would look good, wasn’t expecting it to look good, but when he had blurted it out and Magnus had almost immediately agreed, he’d figured why not. 

So there he was sitting, his face turned away from the mirror, as Magnus instructs him what to do. Look down. Look up. Pout your lips (Yes, Alexander, pout) ((and maybe that had distracted them for a few minutes, but no one had to know)). Stop flinching. 

It was weird. It was definitely a feeling that had to be acquired. The various brushes and sponges and things being poked and prodded and applied to his face were a lot to take in. 

But then, Magnus stopped what he was doing, fixing a few things here and there and put his brush and makeup down. 

Alec felt ridiculous even before he looked in the mirror. Magnus smiled at him and he had turned to look at himself and he had almost cried. He looked stupid. What the fuck had he been thinking? This wasn’t something he got to do. He wasn’t as pretty or beautiful as Magnus or Izzy or Clary. He was just a huge, awkward solider, and he didn’t get this. 

He was about to stand up, run to the bathroom and figure out how to get all this stuff off his face, when a gentle hand held him in place. 

“No,” Magnus’s voice said firmly. “Look,” he said, turning Alec’s chin back towards the mirror. “Really look.” And it was a testament to all they’d been through in the last year or so that Magnus knew Alec so well. 

Magnus moved to stand behind Alec in the mirror, one hand on his shoulder and the other lightly carding through Alec’s hair. 

“Alexander, you’re beautiful,” Magnus breathed. Alec felt his face flush, but in the mirror you couldn’t tell. He liked that. Liked that the stuff on his face kept his blush at bay. “I mean, you’re always gorgeous, but this,” he gestured at Alec’s reflection in the mirror, “this is just unfair, darling.” 

Alec’s face broke into a grin. He blinked a few times, the weight of his eyelashes feeling different, trying to clear the unshed tears from his eyes. Then he looked, really looked, tried to see what Magnus saw in him. 

Magnus definitely knew what he was doing. 

Alec’s eyes were shaded in a light, dusty pink that almost looked tan. They were framed with a thin line of black kohl, slightly smudged, outlined with his intensified, think, long eyelashes. Magnus had put a light layer of foundation on his face, melting the appearance of his five-o’clock shadow. His face looked smooth, delicate. But what really drew his attention were his lips. He had full lips, he knew as much because Magnus constantly reminded him whenever he got the opportunity, but now. Now, the rose color of his mouth was fuller, more vibrant, making his lips look delectable. He noticed that he was smiling at himself. He caught Magnus’s gaze in the mirror and smiled at him fully. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, looking back at his reflection. He felt good, nice, pretty. 

“Anything for you, my angel.”


	3. Like a Breaking Wave

It’s been a month since Jace disappeared. They thought they had him, thought they were finally going to get him back, but it had been a trick. Valentine had them just where he wanted them. 

A pack of demons, obviously being controlled by the Cup, had attacked, and the three of them, Izzy, Clary, and himself, along with Luke’s pack, and Simon, had barely escaped with their lives. 

In the process of trying to get everyone out of harm’s way, Alec had been attacked. Not just a little scrap, but a deep cut, poisoning his system almost immediately. The iratze barely did anything. Alec couldn’t stand. 

Luke had been the one to rush back for him, picking him up, and running out of harm’s way. Luckily, the demons hadn’t followed. 

“Alec, oh my God,” he heard Izzy scream through his haze. Suddenly, her hands were on him, pushing the hair back from his face. He couldn’t focus on her, grimacing in pain when he tried to smile at her. 

“We should get him to Magnus,” Clary said, standing somewhere near, but Alec couldn’t tell. He was slowly slipping further into the demon’s poison. 

They must have agreed that was the best idea, because when he woke up, Raziel knows how much later, he was lying in Magnus’s bed, Magnus sitting crossed legged next to him, staring intensely. 

“Hi,” Alec said, voice strained and croaking. 

Magnus had almost immediately started crying. “Don’t do that to me ever again, Alexander. Do you hear me?” 

Alec smiled, they both knew that was a promise he couldn’t keep, both knew that he was a solider first and a person second, but he nodded. 

“I’m sorry.” 

///

A few days later, Alec is still at Magnus’s. They haven’t heard anything more about Jace and Alec isn’t really well enough to go hunting, so he’s been resting. Or at least that’s what he’s supposed to be doing. He’s not very good at it. 

“Alexander, please sit down. You’re making me dizzy,” Magnus says, looking at him from where he’s seated on the couch. Magnus looks just as exhausted as he feels. This last month has been brutal for all of them. 

Alec sits, resting his back against the arm rest of the couch and throwing his legs over Magnus’s. He can relax his body. He can’t shut off his mind though. 

“Penny for your thoughts, my dear,” Magnus says, stroking lightly over Alec’s pajama clad legs. 

Alec shakes his head. It doesn’t matter voicing his thought won’t do anything. He doesn’t need to burden Magnus further. Magnus who has spent countless hours helping them research and look and track. Magnus who used up so much of his magic healing Alec. Magnus who has not once complained about helping them. He says it’s all for Alec, but Alec can see that he really cares, is really concerned not just for Alec, and maybe not just for Jace, but for everyone. They all know if they don’t defeat Valentine, the world as they know it will be over. 

Magnus’s hand reaches out to cup Alec’s face. He strokes his thumb over Alec’s cheekbone, before moving his hand to the back of Alec’s neck, twisting his hand in the hair at Alec’s nape. 

“Darling, you know you can tell me anything,” Magnus whispers. Alec nods a little, shifting so he’s sitting up, his upper body closer to Magnus’s, legs still splayed over Magnus’s lap. 

“I miss him,” Alec whispers. He hasn’t said anything about this in the last month. He’s thrown himself into work, into tracking, into hunting, into finding his Parabatai, but he hasn’t admitted how much he needs his brother. 

He knows that whatever he felt for Jace romantically was just a crush, nothing compared to what he feels for Magnus now, probably just a result of Jace being the only one there. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love him. Jace is his other half, his brother. He needs him. 

Alec doesn’t realize that a tear has escaped his eye until Magnus brings his other hand up to wipe it away. 

Somehow that is what breaks Alec. Before he realizes it, he’s sobbing, burying his face in Magnus’s neck. Magnus wraps his arms around Alec’s shaking form. His whole body is affected. Alec can’t even remember the last time he cried this much, if he’s ever cried this much. But he’s tired and even though it goes against everything he’s been taught, he knows that Magnus won’t care if he shows such weakness. 

Magnus doesn’t try to stop him, just holds him close, rubbing soothing marks into Alec’s back through his t-shirt. When Alec feels himself coming back, he doesn’t pull out of Magnus’s neck, instead he just keeps his face rested there. 

“I need to find him, Magnus.” 

“I know, love. We will.” And it’s the ‘we’ that causes Alec’s heart to burst a little. He knows that even if it’s a broken promise, Magnus is going to be there the entire time, helping him to find his brother. He knows, somehow he just knows, that Magnus will always be there for him. He wraps his own arms around Magnus, kissing lightly at the skin of his neck. 

“Thank you.” 

“Of course, darling.”


	4. Surviving

It doesn’t get easier, this thing between them. If he’s honest with himself, it only gets harder. Everything only gets harder. Days pass, hours pass, weeks pass. Jace is still missing, gone, they don’t know where he is, nothing seems to be working. He just wants his brother back, wants to beat his head against a wall, break every bone in his body when he thinks about how he just let Jace walk away. 

He should have done something, anything. They tell him not to blame himself. Isabelle tells him it’s not his fault, tells him that none of them could have done anything. Tells him that Valentine is probably the most dangerous person in the world right now and it’s not his fault that he couldn’t stop him. Clary tells him she doesn’t blame him. He doesn’t believe her, but he thinks she blames herself more, which is stupid; if either of them were going to stop Jace, it should’ve been Alec. Clary doesn’t know. 

Then there’s Magnus. Magnus who apologizes daily for not being more help. Magnus who has bags under his eyes that even makeup won’t cover. Magnus who Alec is pretty sure hasn’t slept in weeks. Magnus who pours over every spell in every book he owns looking, searching for something he can do. 

And it’s all for Alec. 

And then there’s Alec who can’t even get himself to look in Magnus’s direction. Magnus spends almost all of his time at the Institute these days, helping, working, probably killing himself with the amount of magic he’s exerting, and Alec keeps avoiding him. His parents whisper behind his back, shooting him glares when he walks in a room. He sees the way they talk to Magnus; they don’t have any right to talk to him like that. It hurts Alec. 

Alec doesn’t miss the irony in all of this. Alec is hurting. Magnus is hurting. Alec is hurting Magnus, when that’s the one thing he’s never wanted to do. He hates seeing that vulnerable look in Magnus’s eye turn to stone when Alec passes, hates the way he can’t seem to do anything right. 

If Alec were honest with himself, he’d admit that all he wants to do is walk over to Magnus, spin him around, and crash his mouth back to his. How can you ache for something, crave something you’ve only experienced once? But that’s how Alec feels, he closes himself off, doesn’t say anything, doesn’t look when he shouldn’t, but he craves Magnus. Craves Magnus’s mouth, his body pressed up to Alec’s. Wants to run his hands all over Magnus’s body, wants Magnus’s hands gripping at him so tight he leaves bruises on pale flesh. 

But what Alec wants, Alec never gets. 

Nothing has changed. Magnus is still immortal. Alec is still mortal. That will never change. Alec wouldn’t even want it to. He can’t imagine a world where Magnus wasn’t in it forever, can’t imagine living that long himself. There’s no compromise to meet. He’s going to grow old and die. He might even die within the next few weeks. Who knows with everything going on. 

It hits him then like a train going a million miles per hour. He’s standing in the command center of the Institute. Clary and Izzy and his mother are standing in front of one of the huge screens, a map of Idris plastered up, trying to show Clary where certain things are. They know that’s where Valentine is going to take his war. Magnus hovers off to the side, reading over the Book of the White, which Joselyn had insisted he keep, trying to figure something out. And Alec turns toward them all, eyes racking over everyone scattering around the room. He realizes that all of them could die at any moment. Every single one of them. 

Magnus had said he couldn’t predict the future and he was right. In theory, Magnus could live for the rest of time. But in reality, he’s just as vulnerable to this war as they all are. Magnus could die. And for what? To help a bunch of people who look down on him stop a war? To help Alec find his brother? There’s more at risk if Valentine rises, but Alec can’t think past the fact that this man, this perfect, gorgeous, timeless man, is slowly killing himself, willing to die, for Alec. 

Alec thinks fuck it and practically runs across the room. 

He can feel Izzy and Clary and his mother watching him, eyes heavy on his back, as he stops in front of Magnus. Magnus leans against a table, the huge book floating in front of him. 

When he sees Alec standing in front of him, Alec sees him jump slightly, taken off guard by the proximity of Alec. Alec understands the feeling. 

“Alexander,” Magnus says in lieu of a greeting, setting the massive book on the table behind him. He folds his arms across his chest. 

“You’re right.” Alec internally kicks himself, wishing he were better with words. His hands fidget at his sides. 

“I’m sure you’re right, Alec, but exactly what was I right about.” 

“This thing, this thing between us, whatever this is, I want it. I want to try it. I might be just a mortal and I’m terrified at the thought of hurting you, but I want this. We could both be dead tomorrow for all we know.” 

Alec’s breathing hard, can still feel everyone in the room staring at him. He kind of wishes they were in private, but public displays of affection seem to be their thing apparently. 

“Alec, what —” 

“Get a drink with me?” Alec asks, laying everything out on the metaphorical table. 

Magnus unfolds his arms. His face doesn’t change and Alec has the sudden urge to run. But he doesn’t. Magnus doesn’t deserve that. If Magnus has finally come to his senses and doesn’t want anything to do with Alec, Magnus deserves to tell him to his face. 

“Alexander,” Magnus says, voice going soft as a small smile spreads across his face. He reaches up to brush the hair from Alec’s face, hand moving to cup Alec’s cheek. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

Alec’s face breaks into a grin, one that only seems to surface when Magnus is around. He knows they have a million things to talk about. Knows that this doesn’t solve everything. Knows that so many things could still go wrong. He knows that the world that they know is literally falling apart around them. 

But as Magnus drags his thumb over Alec’s cheek bone, Alec can’t stop himself from resting his hands on Magnus’s hips and pulling him into a kiss. 

Magnus’s hand moves from Alec’s cheek to the back of his neck. He digs his hand into Alec’s hair his other arm snaking up Alec’s back as Alec wraps his arms around Magnus’s waist pulling him closer. They pull away, Alec resting his forehead against Magnus’s. They both smile. 

He knows everyone is watching them, realizes that everyone is planning for a war while he’s making out in the middle of the command center, but he doesn’t care. 

“So about that drink?” he asks, smirking slightly at Magnus. He glances over at Izzy and Clary, pointedly ignoring his mother’s look of utter disgust, and sees they’re both grinning at him, Izzy wiping a tear from her cheek. Clary gestures back to Magnus slightly with her head. 

When he turns back to Magnus, a portal stands behind him. 

“Shall we?” he asks, reaching out his hand to Alec. Alec takes Magnus hand, warmth flooding through him, and they step into the portal together. 

The next few weeks, months, hell even possibly years are going to be hell, but with Magnus by his side, Magnus holding his hand, Magnus’s mouth to devour, he might just survive.


	5. Hold Me Close

They get back from a routine hunt. It had almost gone wrong; Alec slipping up, distracted by Magnus. Magnus had almost been hurt. Magnus was only there because Alec had called him, asking for backup; without Jace around, they can use all the help they can get. 

When the shax demon had snuck up on Magnus as he battled one in front of him, Alec’s heart had almost stopped working. A scream rips itself from his throat, before he can control it, causing Magnus to stop his task and turn in Alec’s direction, fear and anger in his eyes. They just stare at each other. Alec can’t move. Luckily for both of them, Clary and Lydia and Isabelle are quicker than they are. They get both the demons milliseconds before they sink their claws into Magnus. All Alec can think about is the story that Clary had told him about Magnus’s friend Ragnor. 

He thinks about it the whole way back to the Institute. He thinks about it while they fill out the paperwork. He can’t stop thinking about it even as Magnus leads him up to his room, whispering reassuring words in his ear that he did nothing wrong, that they are all okay. He doesn’t even really know what he’s doing or where he’s going, because he can’t stop thinking about it. He risked Magnus’s life. He’s already lost Jace; he can’t lose Magnus. 

Magnus leads Alec into Alec’s room, closing the door behind them, waving his hand of blue sparks over the door, before turning in Alec’s direction. 

“Alexander,” he begins, but when Alec turns around to face him, Magnus stops. 

“What if something happened to you?” Alec’s voice is raw, tears swim at the corner of his eyes. “What if something happened to you too and it was all my fault?” 

Magnus takes the few steps between them and then his hand is cupping Alec’s jaw, his thumb stroking lightly over Alec’s cheekbone. “Alexander, it wouldn’t be your fault. You can’t save everyone.” 

“I can’t save anyone,” Alec whispers, eyes downcast. 

Magnus’s other hand comes up to cradle Alec’s face. “You saved yourself and that’s the bravest thing anyone can ever do.” 

The words wash over Alec and suddenly he needs to be kissing Magnus, can’t help himself. He lifts his eyes to Magnus’s mouth, before crashing their lips together. His hands come up to Magnus’s hips and he walks them backwards, almost slamming Magnus into the wall with his force. One of his hands comes up to cradle the back of Magnus’s head so it doesn’t crack against the wall; he twists his fingers into the soft hair there, pulling Magnus closer. 

Magnus gasps against his mouth, opening it for Alec to explore with his own tongue. He pushes it past the seam of Magnus’s lips, licking and tasting and jus feeling everything he can. 

His hand on Magnus’s hip moves lower, yanking Magnus’s thigh up to wrap around his own hip. Magnus takes the hint, hiking his other thigh up Alec’s body, wrapping his legs around Alec’s waist as Alec’s hands move to the swell of Magnus’s ass to hold him up steadily. 

He pushes Magnus further into the wall, lining his body against the other man’s. He can feel Magnus’s swollen cock pressed up against his stomach. It nearly drives him mad. He pulls away from Magnus’s mouth, slightly, biting and sucking on his lips. He kisses him hard again before trailing his mouth down Magnus’s jaw, down his throat to suck at his pulse point. 

Magnus’s hands bury themselves in Alec’s thick hair, pulling and scraping against his scalp. Alec bites down on part of Magnus’s exposed shoulder. Magnus gasps, hips rutting up against Alec. 

“Alexander,” he moans, causing Alec to increase his ministrations against Magnus’s neck. Alec’s hands squeeze at Magnus’s ass. “Alec, darling, you need to stop.” Alec pulls away immediately, almost dropping Magnus in the process. 

Magnus releases his legs, setting himself back on the ground, but keeps Alec close to his body with his hands on Alec’s hips. 

“Did I do something wrong?” Alec can’t help but voice his fears. 

“No, love. That was all perfect, but maybe a little too perfect, considering you’re too in your own head to make such rash decisions at the moment.” Magnus’s lips are swollen. He’s breathing hard and his pupils are huge. He brings one hand up to the nape of Alec’s neck to pull his head down, placing a soft kiss to Alec’s lips, before resting their foreheads together. 

“Thank you,” Alec whispers. Magnus is right. Alec isn’t thinking straight. He’s worried out of his mind. “I don’t want to lose you,” Alec says, voice barely discernible. 

“Oh, Alexander, I’m not going anywhere,” Magnus says, against his lips, before closing the distance with a passionate, yet soft kiss. 

“I want to….you know,” Alec supplies lamely, gesturing a bit between their bodies. 

“And we will, when we’re both ready,” Magnus says. “We have all the time in the world, sweetheart.” 

They both ignore the double meaning behind the statement, both know that it’s not true. But for the moment, Alec leads Magnus to his bed, wrapping his body around the smaller man, and they sleep. There’s plenty of time to worry about everything tomorrow.


	6. Even the Mighty Shall Crumble

When Alec walks through the door to the loft that night, the first thing he sees is Magnus standing in the middle of the living room, staring at the wall. He doesn’t seem to notice Alec’s presence yet. Alec toes off his boots, places his unglamoured bow on the ground, and hangs his jacket up, before slowly and quietly making his way over to Magnus. 

Magnus looks a wreck. He’s still as beautiful as ever, but something is off. He’s still in the pajamas he was wearing when Alec left this morning, leaving Magnus asleep in their bed. He has no makeup or jewelry or anything on. He looks lost. He’s still staring at the place on the wall, when a floorboard creaks under Alec’s foot. 

Alec tenses, waits for Magnus to react, but nothing, other than a small jerk of Magnus’s head that lets Alec know he’s been heard. 

“Magnus,” Alec says quietly, when he’s standing next to Magnus. Magnus doesn’t move. Alec’s worry increases. “Magnus, love, what’s wrong?” Alec hears his own voice as quiet and weak. He hears the fear there. 

Magnus starts shaking his head slowly from left to right, no further answer given. 

“Magnus, you’re worrying me,” Alec says, taking a step closer to Magnus, but not touching him yet. He’s not sure if his touch is welcomed right now. “Mags, what happened?” 

“It’s been a whole year,” Magnus says, voice rough and gritty and weak from disuse. 

Alec feels his own brow furrow at the words. It’s been a year since his almost wedding; it’s been a year since Jace left with Valentine. But all those things were resolved, Alec didn’t get married and Jace is back. Technically, it’s their anniversary, the anniversary of the first time they kissed at least, but that’s obviously not what Magnus is referring to. 

And that’s when it hits him and he almost crumbles himself. 

Ragnor’s death. 

Magnus has told him countless stories of the adventures he’d had with his best friend and fellow Warlock over the centuries, laughing and crying and staying up all hours of the night just talking. But today. Today marks the one year anniversary of Ragnor’s death and Alec feels like an idiot for not staying with Magnus today of all days. 

He reaches out a hand, slowly and gently bringing it to Magnus shoulder. When Magnus doesn’t protest, Alec touches him lightly. That touch does it. Magnus, whose eyes are already puffy, breaks down, sobs wracking through his body as he collapses against Alec. Alec, caught off guard by the sudden weight against him, falls to the ground, Shadowhunter reflexes kicking in, landing in a seated position and scooping Magnus into his lap. 

Alec wraps himself around Magnus, attempting to absorb the sobs, the tremors wracking Magnus’s body. Magnus grips Alec’s shirt, buries his face against Alec’s neck. Alec rest his chin on Magnus’s head, hand coming up to cup the back of his head, as he slowly rocks them on the ground. 

Magnus Bane is the High Warlock of Brooklyn. He’s hands down the most powerful being that Alec has ever met, maybe the most powerful being in existence. So Alec sometimes forgets that he’s just as fragile as the rest of them. 

Magnus sobs have become quieter, more subdued, and Alec shifts him against his own body, lifting him up from the ground, carefully, and carries him to their bed. 

He lays Magnus down, before pulling off his own jeans and crawling onto the unmade bed next to Magnus. He pulls the covers over both of them and Magnus shifts, tucking his body against Alec’s, his forehead resting against Alec’s chest, and his hands wrapping around Alec’s back, pulling him closer. 

Alec lets himself be used as a pillow, a source of comfort, as Magnus slowly drifts to sleep, quiet cries still taking over his body. 

Alec kisses the top of his head, as he holds Magnus close. He whispers “I’m sorry” over and over again until he knows that Magnus is asleep. He doesn’t know what else to do, feels the deep urge to fix this, but knows that nothing can be done. 

Magnus’s words from long ago echo in his ears telling him that the only thing he needs to do in moments like this is be here, holding Magnus, letting him know he’s not alone. Magnus Bane will never be alone again as long as Alec’s still alive.


	7. Exhaustion

The excitement wears off quick. They have Jace back, but Valentine is still out there, still at large, and still needs to be taken down. They know this is far from over. 

But as the night settles down, Alec feels like his bones are melting into the floor, his eyes won’t stay open, and he’s pretty sure if he has to walk up the stairs to his room, he’ll collapse. 

Magnus, who has stood beside Alec all night, for the last few months, seems to sense this as he wraps an arm around Alec’s waist, using his other hand to open a portal. 

He gently guides Alec through and before Alec knows it he’s sprawled out on Magnus’s ridiculously huge and ridiculously comfortable bed. His eyes follow Magnus as he takes off his jewelry, as he walks over to the bed and helps Alec slide out of his boots and jacket. 

With a snap of Magnus’s fingers, Alec feels somehow refreshed, clean, but still exhausted. Magnus’s face is free of makeup as he crawls on all fours to where Alec lays in the middle of the bed. 

Magnus helps Alec get out of his jeans and then he pulls the covers up and over them, burying them in a cocoon of warmth and safety. 

Alec lifts up the dead weight of his arms, welcoming Magnus into them. Magnus smiles, slow and sleepy, down at him, before he nuzzles his body into the curve of Alec’s, throwing one leg over Alec’s hips. Alec closes his arms around Magnus, feels content. 

He knows everything is fucked, knows that the next few months, hell possibly even years, are going to be torturous on all of them. But for now, his arms wrapped tight around his boyfriend, snuggled up in the most comfortable bed in the world, Alec allows himself to drift off to sleep. 

It’s the best sleep he’s had in his whole life.


	8. no losers, only winners

Alec didn’t know how it happened. One moment they were sitting on the couch mindlessly watching tv and just talking and the next moment they were rolling around on the floor. Wrestling. Fully clothed. 

Okay so maybe Alec had said something about being stronger than Magnus and Magnus had been fully offended, which had been Alec’s intention all along because Magnus’s face when he thought someone was questioning his power was an entertaining look. Alec didn’t even really think he was stronger, just wanted to see what Magnus would say. 

He really didn’t expect his boyfriend to jump him, pushing him to the floor, and trying to pin him down. 

Alec couldn’t help but laugh as he watched Magnus’s face fill with concentration as he attempted to keep the upper hand as Alec wiggled underneath him trying to push Magnus off. 

And Magnus was definitely strong. He wasn’t surprised. They’d only been dating a few months, but Alec had seen Magnus shirtless and the muscles he was hiding underneath the layers of clothing had definitely left Alec’s mouth gaping. So yeah he knew Magnus was strong. 

But Magnus didn’t spend eight hours a day training or fighting, so Alec had to assume that he was stronger. And as he pushed up with his hips, wrapping one leg around Magnus’s own, using their clasped hands to push up more, he flipped them over, pinning Magnus beneath him. 

Magnus just grinned up at him. “I win,” Magnus said a smirk overtaking his mouth as Alec’s hips subconsciously pushed down into him. 

“I have you pinned to the ground,” Alec deadpanned. 

Magnus pushed up against Alec with his hips, moving them in a small circle, so that his cock was rubbing against Alec’s own rapidly hardening one. “I know,” Magnus replied, an eyebrow arching in amusement. 

Alec just stared down at Magnus, hips thrusting softly on their own against Magnus’s own. His eyes flicked down to Magnus’s mouth, taking in the full, warm, and inviting lips. He flicked his gaze up to Magnus’s eyes once more, before smirking and crashing their mouths together. 

He’d call it a tie.


	9. gently in the night

Magnus is exhausted when he finally stumbles into the loft around midnight. He hadn’t had enough energy or magic left to even portal home and it took him longer than he’d like to admit to maneuver the streets of Brooklyn. 

All he wants to do is strip out of his more or less filthy clothes, wash his face, and curl into bed. 

Well, that’s all he wants to do until he sees a sight that has him momentarily frozen in place in the doorway. 

He’d given Alexander a key a few weeks ago, but Alec had yet to use it. Until tonight that is. 

He quietly closes the door behind him and turns back to look at Alexander. Alexander who is curled up fast asleep in a chair that is much too small for his long and lanky frame. Alexander who has two open books laid out on his body as if he were reading them simultaneously and they dropped as he fell asleep. Alexander whose arm is flailed out over the side of the again too small armchair. Alexander whose mouth is open, who has a drop of drool on the corner of his chin. Alexander who looks more peaceful and relaxed than Magnus has ever seen him. 

Magnus quietly walks over to Alec standing above him for a moment as Chairman Meow wraps himself around Magnus’s legs purring heavily. Magnus gently takes the books from Alec’s body and closes them setting them on a near table. 

He leaves Alexander there for a moment, moves to his room to strip out of his clothes and clean his face of makeup. He almost wants a shower, but he’ll wait until morning. Maybe Alec will join him. 

Magnus turns down the bed and then moves back out to the living room where Alec is still fast asleep in the chair. Magnus has never been more endeared to another being in his entire life. He moves over to Alec, gently pushes the hair back from his face. 

When Alec doesn’t move, Magnus bends down and lifts Alec out of the chair cradling Alexander to his chest. Alec mumbles something incoherently and nuzzles his face into Magnus’s neck. Magnus loves this man so much. 

He carries Alec to the bed laying him down as gently as possible and Alec doesn’t wake just snuggles into the sheets. Magnus kneels down to take off Alec’s boots unlacing them carefully and sliding them off with as little movement as possible. 

He quickly magics off Alec’s pants replacing them with a pair of soft flannel pajama bottoms he’d bought Alec a few months ago for when he wanted to spend the night. Alec sleeps in his underwear more often than not, but Magnus isn’t about to make that sort of decision for him. However, he doesn’t want to leave him in his uncomfortable jeans and belt all night. Alec doesn’t seem to notice the change. Magnus leaves him in his ratty t-shirt and pulls the covers over his still sleeping form. 

Magnus crawls into bed next to him, turning the lights off as he settles his body against Alec’s. Alec rolls over, back facing Magnus and Magnus can’t help but wrap his own body around Alec’s. He nuzzles his face into the back of Alec’s neck placing a soft kiss at the base of his hair line. 

Alec grabs Magnus’s hand and Magnus starts not knowing if he’d woken Alec. Alec laces their fingers together and pushes his body fully back into Magnus’s. 

“Goodnight, Magnus,” Alec whispers voice heavy and laden with sleep and he instantly passes out again. 

“Goodnight, my love,” Magnus whispers against Alec’s neck and allows Alec’s warmth to pull him into a deep and peaceful sleep.


	10. A False Smile, A Broken Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia Centric

She smiles, small and tight, a forced thing that takes more strength than it should. She nods, as if she understands, and watches as he leaves. 

He looked conflicted like he didn’t know whether to follow his duty or his heart and she understood that. She understood that more than anyone. She was older than him, hardened by a few years and the tragedy of losing someone she loved. He had yet to love and therefore didn’t understand the pain of having someone torn away from you. She was willing to sacrifice the possibility of finding someone to save her from that pain, even if she had slowly started to hope. Hope that maybe over time Alec could grow to love her, that she could turn the small flicker of emotion she felt for him into something more. But apparently that was asking too much. 

She watches as everyone leaves, rushing about. Confusion fills the air and compliments the feelings inside her. She doesn’t understand what just happened, probably will never fully understand. One minute she was saying Alec’s name, a genuine smile on her face, bright eyed and feeling more alive than she had in years, and the next moment Alec was telling her that he couldn’t do this. 

He couldn’t do this. She had told him to rule with his head, but that wasn’t fair. He was just a boy; he hadn’t started to live yet. She shouldn’t tell him to ignore his heart. 

A few people ask if she’s okay and she nods, feigning a stoicism that she doesn’t feel. 

After everything has cleared out, she slowly makes her way back up to her room at the Institute. She wants nothing more than to be back home in Idris. In her own bed. But even that bed holds dark memories. She can’t escape the pain it seems. 

Makeup litters her dresser where only a few hours before Isabelle had helped her get ready. She now understands why Isabelle had looked solemn the whole time. She hopes they don’t blame her. Hopes that they will like her now that their brother isn’t tied down to her. But she knows better. After all she’s done to help them and they still see nothing more than a woman who came in and uprooted their lives. 

She sits at the dresser, slowly starting to unfasten the intricate braids of her hair. She looked like a princess earlier. Now she looks like the step sister without a happy ending. 

She knows she needs to get ready for the battle that is to come. Valentine is still at large and they know where he is now thanks to Magnus and she will be damned if she doesn’t help take him down. It’s the only thing that will keep her sane. Bring some order to the world. The world that she has for so long fought to understand; to make understandable. 

Her hair falls in tight curls and waves down her back and she steps out of her dress. The most gorgeous twisting of gold and ivory that she’d ever seen. She wonders if she’ll ever make it through a whole wedding or is she just doomed to be a fiance and never a bride. She pulls on her leather. Braids her bangs and pulls her hair back into a ponytail. She looks at herself once more in the mirror. She swipes at the tear that managed to fall without her consent. 

As she leaves the room, she looks back at the dress resting on the bed. She wonders why she isn’t allowed to be happy as she puts back on her facade of control and leaves to help take care of the mission at hand. Maybe soon everything would make sense.


	11. About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia x Isabelle Centric

They’re sitting on a bench in the training room. Both of them are sweaty and tired, breathing heavy as they drink from their bottle of water, passing it back and forth between each other. 

Izzy tries not to think about how intimate the action is. They’d just been practically wrestling on the mat, but somehow the action of sealing her lips over something that Lydia’s lips had just passed, sends a shiver down her spine. 

She’s been feeling more and more of those shivers over the last few months. 

They’ve all increased their training. They got Jace back and nothing had happened and now all of them are preparing for war. When Lydia had first suggested training with her, Isabelle hadn’t thought too much of it. 

But then Lydia’s bare arm was pressed against hers. The expanse of her smooth stomach beneath the sports bra that accentuated her breasts in a way that had Izzy distracted enough to be slammed down into the mat. That had been about two months ago. 

Izzy’s distractedness had only increased with each new, private training session. 

She glances over at Lydia, stained pink and breathing heavy, and can’t help her mind from floating to other ways to get Lydia looking like that. She shakes her head, her own dark curls flying a little to frantically at the motion, causing Lydia to turn her way. 

She quicks a thin, blonde eyebrow in her direction, passing the bottle of water back to her. Isabelle takes a sip, looking away, and savoring the phantom kiss that she conjures up in her mind. She looks back to Lydia, realizing that her she’s still staring. When she turns back, Lydia’s eyes bounce up from her chest, heavier than they had been a moment ago, and she flushes deeper at having been caught. 

Izzy feels the corner of her lip pull into a small smirk that drops away as Lydia scoots closer on the bench. Isabelle’s breathing increases and her eyes drop to Lydia’s lips, before bouncing back up to her eyes. The blue is almost disappeared behind the pupil and there’s a small, mischievous look there. 

They are barely a breath away now and Izzy only has a moment to think about how anyone could walk in on them right now, before Lydia is capturing her lips in a soft, yet heated kiss. 

Izzy’s hands jump up, one to the back of Lydia’s neck, playing with the fine hairs that don’t get tied up in her ponytail, the other to Lydia’s jaw, where her thumb strokes back and forth. 

Lydia’s hand twists in the base of Isabelle’s curls, the other one sliding around the bare skin at her hip to the small of her back, pulling her just that much closer. 

Isabelle gasps out a breath against Lydia’s lips as Lydia’s hands caress her bare skin, and Lydia takes the opportunity to lick into Izzy’s mouth. Izzy can’t fathom why they haven’t been doing this for months. Her tongue meets Lydia’s, stroking against it in almost reverent ways, before retracting so Izzy can bite at the full flesh of Lydia’s bottom lip. 

They pull away, both gasping for breath, but don’t part, resting their foreheads against each others. A smile overtakes Lydia’s face, infectiously moving to Isabelle’s and they sit their grinning, pressed close together, until a small cough next to them has them springing apart. 

Izzy looks up to find Alec standing over them, hands clasped behind his back, as he tries to fight off a smirk. He fails and a smile overtakes his face. 

“Took you long enough,” he teases them and it feels natural, light, good. 

Izzy presses one more kiss to Lydia’s lips, whispering a promise of more later, before jumping up to continue training, this time with her brother, while Lydia watches. And if Izzy puts a bit more flare into each of her movements to tease Lydia’s watchful eyes, well then no one has to know.


End file.
